Silvanost - Grotto is Nearly Through the Temple, How to Kill a Dragon, and a Job Offer

 07 Newkolt 349 AC

Note: The Temple of Kiri-Jolith is based on "The Ghost Blade" from the 3rd edition Dragonlance Campaign Setting Sourcebook, modified for level and to fit the plot of our current campaign.

AT THE ABANDONED TEMPLE OF KIRI-JOLITH

Grotto once again marvels at the murals as he walks past them. A slight tinge of guilt flows through him. "I am taking these items so they don't fall into enemies' hands!" The dwarf tries to convince himself, "I am not a grave robber!" Grotto then descends the new found passage. He looks around the room and into the water for any hidden traps. Satisfied that he gave it his best once over, he wades into the water. The water is nearly chest deep on the squat dwarf! "Any deeper and I'll have to swim for it," thinks the now amphibious dwarf. Now that he is closer to the altar, he searches much more carefully. "If this temple is mirrored, then maybe there is a place for the horn from the twin of this room."

As he gets closer to the altar, he feels movement beneath his feet, almost as if the entire floor has come to life. A gray pseudopod rears up out of the water, like a snake preparing to strike!

Grotto prepares for battle. He orders his shield to hover in front of him. "Well this is the home of this sword.  I will honor its owner with the taste of battle once again!" Grotto thinks. He pulls the sword of the entombed elf from its sheath and prepares to fight the false foot. "Hope that thing isn't attached to something bigger, don't know my way around a sword like I do my trusty axe!" Grotto worries.

As he grips the sword and draws it from its sheath, the mottling spreads from the blade and runs up his arm. The color allows him to blend in with the water, the stone, the walls, and the shadows, making him nearly invisible. Even the sound of the water lapping against against his armor is muted.

The tendril pauses, seemingly unsure of what to make of this development. It lashes out a moment later, slamming against the dwarf's flying shield. Grotto slashes with the elf's sword, chopping through the fleshy tendril and slicing it off. The severed piece splashes down into the pool. It rises to the surface and begins swimming toward him while the first tendril rounds itself off and lashes at him again.

What follows is a frantic barrage of striking pseudopods and slashing blades. Each sword strike lops off a chunk of flesh that immediately joins in the assault on the scarred dwarf. After many strikes, the pieces finally become too small to divide further and stop moving. An acrid, chemical odor seeps from the punctured membranes, filling the small room with a caustic reek as Grotto climbs out of the water to inspect the altar.

After a few minutes of poking and prodding, Grotto finds a hidden latch that opens a secret panel. Behind the panel, he finds three crystal jars, two of which are full and sealed with wax. Each lid bears the bison horn symbol of Kiri-Jolith.

08 Newkolt 349 AC

IN COUNCILOR SUMMERWALKER'S WAREHOUSE ~ NOW SERVING AS RA'ZIIR/SHADOW/KYSEK'S COMMAND CENTER

Shadow’s eyes jerk open as the dragon ends his scrying spell. The Drow Elf says to the others “Dragon. Big Green one, too.  It stopped my spell. Oh, and they have clerics of some sort healing the one we wounded. So much for that plan.”  He paces around for a few seconds then mutters “…must be a good way to kill them..”

He quickly casts a Sending spell to contact Romulus “How did they kill the dragons here back in the day?”

At the Tower of High Sorcery in Wayreth, Romulus hears Shadow’s question. "The same way they did on our world - with fast, focused violence. Although, they did have weapons called 'dragonlances' but these are lost to history."

“Tell me more about these Dragonlances?”

It takes about twenty minutes to get a response from the archmage to reply. "Information is a little scarce but it channels the power of a rider and dragon mount into offensive strikes. More to follow."

Ten minutes after that, the time it takes to cast another Sending spell, a second answer follows. "A magical arm and hammer are needed to forge these lances. These are also lost."

“I will be back shortly,” Shadow says to the others in the warehouse. “Going to read a bedtime story about killing dragons. I’ll be back for brunch. Send for me if urgently needed.”

The dark elf speaks a single magical word and vanishes in a flash of light, appearing outside of the Wayreth Towers a moment later.

AT THE GRIFFON AERIE

“I will most certainly accompany you.”, Kysek states. As the two make their way, he explains the rescue and informs of the chained elves within the city.

Ra’ziir takes note of the fortified government buildings and asks questions of the Sergeant related to specifics of each.

"Yeah, some of them connect, or at least they used to. These tunnels haven't been used in centuries. Houses Mason and Shaper have had other more pressing projects to work on but at their height, the passages were said to be able to shelter upwards of 500 elves on this block alone," the sergeant replies, "and there were storerooms that, when stocked, had enough provisions to last for a year."

Kysek, Commander Terinani, Ra'ziir, and Sergeant Falindrithan all reach the stables at about the same time. Introductions are made and a brief history of the bladesinger's previous work with griffons is supplied.

Ra'ziir meanders through the stables, looking over the griffons. Many bear injuries from recent battles. Grooms circulate through the stalls, brushing fur, preening feathers, and changing bandages where applicable. Falindrithan locates his second cousin, a woman named Elowen, hard at work retooling cinch straps for new griffons being called into service to replace mounts killed in battle.

Ra'ziir turns to Commander Terinani, “I am an experienced rider, and happy to help train, but will also defer to any true masters there may be in the city. And if there are, I would welcome the opportunity to improve my own skills with these marvelous beasts."

The elven lord nods, "Very well. Report for training an hour before sunrise tomorrow and we will start your training. I have no doubt of your riding skill but you will need to be familiarized with our formations and command structure. And we will need to find a mount who is suitable to partner with you. Kysek, are you still interested in joining our ranks?"